Modern Arcades

It is really fascinating to read about the evolution of shopping and the buildings we shop in. When reading about arcades, I immediately thought of this picture I took inside of an "arcade" in Brussels, Belgium. It is simply a picture of the glass roof, a trait described by Ford in Ch. 3. The stores are on both sides with glass windows. It intersected a street of restaurants, and the arched openings could not be closed, leaving the atrium open to the outside at all times.

I bet this building was really old, but I can't recall seeing a date marker when I was there. Contrast this to a modern American arcade: Wal-Mart! This seems to be a perfect example of a supermarket and store all-in-one. Jesus, you can buy anything there! This picture displays the kind of shopping environment Wal-Mart provides, with easily accessed goods in self-service aisles with clearly marked fixed prices. Try to get someone's help there, I dare you.

It is also interesting to read about the glass roofs and their importance of letting in natural light. Now that we have electricity, the use of lighting is cheaper than making an entire ceiling out of glass, especially considering how large our stores have grown to be. Another evolving aspect is the surveillance of modern stores. I couldn't help but take a picture of one of Wal-Mart's cameras hidden inside some ominous, black orb. This really shows how much things have changed in the construction of our shopping venues. Wal-Mart can offer you cheap prices by making your environment inconsequential. This is remarkable considering how hard other places, like malls, try to entice you with ambiance.